Eight nations and over 900 athletes taking part in this week’s Games for European Small States, are all eagerly awaiting the start of competition tomorrow morning.

The event kicks off this evening with what is expected to be a spectacular Opening Ceremony at the small Andorra La Vella Stadium.

This will include the march past of athletes, including the Maltese contingent, which will be following flag-bearer William Chetcuti, the young double-trap shooter who won gold in the discipline two years ago in Malta.

Malta has a contingent of 99 at Andorra, 63 of whom are athletes. The rest consist of coaches, officials and sponsors’ representatives.

Competition starts tomorrow in athletics, basketball, cycling (individual time-trial), judo, clay shooting, swimming, table-tennis, tennis, beach volleyball and volleyball.

The following is the programme where the Maltese athletes will be in action:

Athletics: tomorrow, Thursday and Saturday.

Basketball: tomorrow, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Cycling (road race): Friday.

Cycling (individual time-trial): tomorrow.

Judo: tomorrow and Thursday.

Target shooting: Wednesday and Thursday.

Clay shooting: tomorrow, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Swimming: tomorrow, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Taekwondo: Friday and Saturday.

Table-Tennis: tomorrow, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Tennis: tomorrow, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

As everyone must be aware by now, Malta is not taking part in three of the disciplines being organised, that is, volleyball, beach volley and mountain biking.

The event will come to an end on Saturday evening with the closing ceremony.